Piston stabilizer



24, 1953 H, s LEW|5 PISTON STABILIZER Filed July 2, 1951 Hg. I

Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in piston constructions and has more particular reference to an automatically adjustable stabilizer, that is, a simple and practical insert which is incorporated. in the skirt portion of a piston and which cooperates with the piston and usual cylinder wall to more satisfactorily control the reciprocatory functioning of said piston.

With a View toward eliminating so-called piston slap, lateral play, to cope with expansion and contraction difficulties and to promote a truly centered piston stroke, pistons have been imple mented with added structural means. Some of these are referred to as piston expander-s and others are somewhat generally categorized as stabilizers. The invention appertains to the latter field of endeavor in that it likewise has to do with projectible and retractible spring pressed means having self-adjusting wiping contact with the cylinder wall and serving to minimize wear and to compensate for customarily recognized difliculties.

It is therefore a general object of the invention to structurally, functionally and in other ways improve upon known prior art piston stabilizers through the medium of a simplified and improved construction wherein manufacturers and users will find their respective requirements and needs aptly fulfilled.

With a View toward keeping as closely as possible within the realm of simplification and looking toward a construction in which required alterations are both feasible and nominal, the preferred embodiment of the invention has to do with the formation of a notch in the lower edge portion of the skirt of the piston and using this notch as a clearance opening and, in addition, using the struck out piece of the skirt as a stabilizing block or insert, simple spring means being employed to re-use said insert as a skirt complement as well as self-adapting stabilizer means.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a piston having the features of the present invention embodied therein.

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure'l with the complete piston in operative position in a coacting cylinder.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing by way of reference numerals and accompanying lead lines, the piston, as a whole, is denoted by the numeral A and is of conventional construction, except for the improved stabilizer which is to be disclosed. That is to say, there is the usual cylindrical skirt or wall portion and an upper head portion 8 having circumferentially disposed grooves |c |c for the customary piston ring [2 (see Fig. 2). As before implied, the improvement has to do with the insert M which constitutes the self-adapting and actuating stabilizer. For purposes of great simplification a rectangular or equivalent notch of appropriate size, as at I6, is cut in the lower portion of the skirt and. the part which is left, the so-called cut-out, is the insert and this is fitted back into the notch with a slight {clearance around the coacting marginal edges of the insert and notch. The stated block or insert is secured by a single headed fastener It to a properly sized and gauged flat spring 20. More specifically, the insert is provided with a counter-sunk bolt hole 22 to accommodate the headed end of the fastener and the fastener is provided on its opposite end with an assembling and retaining nut 24. A filler member, which may be a suitable washer 26, is provided and assembled as best shown in Figures 2 and 3. The numerals 28 designate additional filler elements which may be identified as adjusting and spacing shims. Thus there is a projectible and retractible stabilizing insert block into a notch and attached to the lower end of a fiat spring by bolt and nut means and accommodating shims. The upper end of the spring is parallel with the wall or skirt and located on the interior of the same, as best shown in Figure 2. Said upper end is denoted at 28 and it is secured in place by upper and lower bolts 30 and 32 with accompanying nuts 34 and 36. In this arrangement a spacing bar or strip 38 is provided and is interposed between the spring and the skirt or wall of the piston, the latter having counter-sunk bolt holes to accommodate the aligned bolts. Thus there are three bolts and these are in alignment one above the other, two being for attaching the upper end portion of the spring to the skirt and the other one for attaching the lower end of the spring to the projectible and retractible stabilizing block. What with the tension of the spring properly established and the added adjustment obtainable by the shims it will be possible to exert may be incorporated in an original piston at the time of initial manufacture and installation..-.

Despite the fact that a single fastening is employed for procuring the stabilizer blocktozthd lower end of the spring it willbeevident that by snugly fitting said insert into the notch means there will be no chance of said insert rotating in relation to the bolt and getting out of place.

Itis thought that persons-skilled in .the art to which the invention relates. will be: ab'le 'to obtain a clear understanding of the..-invention after considering the description. in connection with the drawings, Therefore,-a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary-.

Mi nor changes inithe shape,- size and arrange:- ment ,of :detailscom ngwvithin the field: of invention claimed mayberesorted toxin actual practice.

Having described .the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a piston construction a piston having cus+ tomary head and skirt portions, said'skirt portion being-provided with :anopening; an.;insert fitted removably but snugly in said opening and having an outer convex curvature corresponding to the convex curvature of the outer surface of said skirt portion, a spacer mounted on the interior of the skirt portion in alignment with the opening and insert, a flat spring superimposed on said spacer, accessible bolts assing through bolt holes provided therefor in the skirt portion; spacer andspringy one end: of said spring being opposed to said insert, shim means interposed between the spring and interior surface ofthe insert, a single bolt piercing the central portions-of the insert and passing through the shim means and through the spring and provided'on its inner end with an assembling and clamping. nut- HAROLD S. LEWIS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,255,036 Minnick Jan. 29, 1918 1,366,415 Pearson Jan. 25, 1921 1,604,827 Houpert Oct. 26, 1926 1,625,120 Hall Apr. .19, 1927 2,416,487 Leupe'; Feb. 25, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country. Date 532,0111 France .Nov. 5, 19 1 989,399 Frances; May 23, 1951 107,138 Austrias; Aug. 25'. 1927. 

